


Scissors are Not Good at Boundaries

by thegreatwordologist



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Acceptance, Fluff, Gen, Humor, Minor Asgore Angst, Papyrus has a Secret, Papyrus the Stylist, a tiny bit creepy?, maybe more than a tiny bit...
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-30
Updated: 2016-06-30
Packaged: 2018-07-19 04:03:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7344013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegreatwordologist/pseuds/thegreatwordologist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Papyrus has a secret, and this Surface Day, he'll finally confide in Asgore!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Scissors are Not Good at Boundaries

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ScribeProtra](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScribeProtra/gifts).



> This was a request fic from the [ask meme](http://thegreatwordologist.tumblr.com/post/146676159913/send-me-a-pairing-and-a-line-of-dialogue-and-ill) I posted on tumblr. ScribeProtra was kind enough to send me the request: "Can I tell you a secret?" with Papyrus/Asgore. After a bit of deliberation, a lot of dragging my brain away from ColorTales, and a bit of advice from Torch+Stélechos, I came up with this ridiculousness.
> 
> And omg, I had SO MUCH FUN with it!
> 
> \---
> 
> Torch+Stélechos made [fanart](http://thegreatwordologist.tumblr.com/post/146840465798/torchstelechos-guess-who-made-papyrus-in-a) based off of this idea, and it is beautiful! Go look! No seriously, go look!!! :DDD

Papyrus glanced around the shop after the door was locked, and nodded to himself. In the five years since the Barrier had been broken, he'd done fairly well for himself. Admittedly, there were still quite a few humans out there who had trouble believing he was a good stylist, but at least monsters weren't so judgemental! He swept the last of the hair from the floor, bagged it up, and straightened proudly before making his way to the closet at the back of the shop. Now that the last of the glue had dried, his masterpiece was complete. He stopped in the doorway, looking down at his creation before turning to get the fancy box he'd purchased just to take it with him. This Surface Day was going to be a special one.

He made it home with no mishaps, and ducked straight into his room. Sans was likely already out at the Surface Day setup, preparing to sell water sausages and make jokes, which was a good thing. Papyrus felt nervous enough without having to face his brother's criticism or jokes, but if he waited another year, he might never gather enough courage. 

Shedding his work clothes, he rinsed his bones to wash away the last of the hair clippings, then tugged on the shirt he'd bought specially for the occasion. One of his clients had pointed out to him that he would look very handsome in a red button-up shirt with black slacks.

...Okay, that client had been Frisk, but at least he believed what they said! Frisk was a flirt, sure, but they would never lie to him about something so important. Especially not when they'd brought the catalog just for him to look at. So... red and black it was.

When all that remained was his creation, Papyrus drew a breath, then carefully put it on. He stared in the mirror at himself for a long minute before wincing and taking it back off to stow in his closet. ...He couldn't. Not yet.

But he wouldn't give up, either! So he headed out, determined to at least make the night count.

\-----

Surface Day was probably the day that Asgore hated the most. It wasn't that he begrudged his people their freedom, but... there was so much pain it stood for, pain that he'd had to face the moment Frisk had arrived in New Home. And while the pain was past now, he would never allow it to be forgotten.

So every Surface Day, he divided his time between the monsters and humans who attended, playing the part of the genteel king when all he really wanted to do was shut himself away in his garden once more. And this Surface Day was no exception.

"It is so nice to hear of your success," he informed Grillby gently, waving one paw at the fries Grillby gestured to. "No, please. Share them with another. But thank you very much for the offer." Bowing to the cook, he turned to make his way to the next booth. Right in the middle of the path, however, stood the two people who always accosted him.

"You really gotta eat something one of these days!" Undyne demanded, reaching out to grab the fries before Grillby could put them away and hold one out to Papyrus before waving the plate at Asgore. "Besides, these are the best, and we all know it!" Asgore's eyes softened as he watched her antics, then shifted to the skeleton at her side.

Papyrus looked... different. The skeleton had matured nicely from the wide-eyed idealist that had first left the Underground, but there was something about him that still seemed so innocent to Asgore. Perhaps it was his bright smile, or the way he encouraged Undyne when humans found her too scary. Whatever it was, Asgore had grown to have a soft spot for the skeleton.

"YOU REALLY SHOULD EAT," Papyrus chided, breaking Asgore from his reverie, and the king blushed as he took a fry and bit down. "UNDYNE WORRIES QUITE A LOT ABOUT YOU, YOU KNOW."

"Don't tell him that, punk!" Undyne hissed, but Asgore merely chuckled.

"Undyne is a very caring young woman," he assured Papyrus, and was rewarded with a vigorous nod in response. "She makes me very proud."

"You're both nerds!" Undyne groused, her cheeks a deep indigo as she turned away to scan the crowd. "It's not like I'm doing anything WEIRD! I'm just - oh, there she is! ALPHYS!" she yelled, barrelling off into the crowd and leaving Papyrus and Asgore behind. The two looked at each other for a moment, and then shrugged.

"Have you seen your brother yet?" Asgore asked solicitiously, gesturing for Papyrus to join him as the two walked through the festival. This, like so much else about the day, was a tradition - perhaps the only one Asgore didn't really mind. Papyrus didn't remind him of the children the way others did. Indeed, the skeleton had never demanded anything from Asgore that the king wasn't able to offer. A bit of conversation and company once Undyne ran off to be with Alphys, and then they parted ways for another year. It was comfortable and familiar, and it made Asgore smile on a day when little enough else did.

"NOT YET," Papyrus shook his head. "HE WAS ALREADY HERE WHEN I GOT HOME FROM WORK. BUT IF YOU WANTED TO SEE SOMETHING ELSE..."

"Let us stop by the water sausage tent next," Asgore interrupted, reaching out to pat Papyrus' shoulder with one massive paw. The bones under his touch trembled very faintly, and Asgore frowned deeply. "Are you cold?"

"COLD, YOUR MAJESTY?" Papyrus' voice was innocent and surprised, and Asgore shook away his confusion. Clearly he must have imagined the tremor.

"Forgive me, Papyrus," he said, smiling as they approached the tent. "It's nothing."

\-----

The fireworks went off precisely at 9:28, timed perfectly to the minute Frisk had freed them all, and... it was over. Standing beside the king, Papyrus felt a sense of desperate panic overtake him. The evening had been as enjoyable and entertaining as ever, but... that wasn't enough! Not this year!

Papyrus turned to Asgore, and just as the king opened his mouth to make his farewells, Papyrus finally found the words. "HOUSE!" Well, perhaps words was a bit ambitious, but for a single word, it was quite appropriate. Papyrus breathed a tiny sigh of relief, then froze as he realized that Asgore was staring at him with polite confusion in his eyes.

Perhaps some elaboration was in order. "MY HOUSE!" Papyrus exclaimed, and Asgore remained still for a moment more before shaking his head slowly.

"Forgive me, Papyrus," the king said gently, offering the skeleton a weak smile. Papyrus' soul plummeted down near his pelvis at the expression. He was going to say no... "I do not understand." He was going to... not understand?

"OH! I GOT SO EXCITED," Papyrus explained with awkward exuberance, reaching up to rub the back of his skull with one hand. The click of bone on bone was mildly comforting. "WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME TO MY HOUSE? WE HAVE A WIDE ARRAY OF DRINKS FOR AFTER EVENINGS LIKE THIS, THANKS TO UNDYNE." 

The king hesitated, then nodded slowly. Of all his people, Papyrus was the only one who wouldn't push him to talk about the meaning of the night. Even Undyne - dear, well-meaning Undyne - would push and push until the poisonous thoughts spilled out and made her mad. But Papyrus was patient and kind, and it was that sort of kindness the king could use most.

"Thank you, Papyrus," Asgore rumbled softly, setting his large paw on Papyrus' shoulder. As he had earlier that evening, Asgore noticed a faint tremble. But this time, he remained quiet.

"I SHALL DRIVE YOU, THEN! WHEN WE BOUGHT MY CAR, UNDYNE MADE SURE IT WAS LARGE ENOUGH FOR YOU TO RIDE IN!" Papyrus' cheerful declaration made Asgore laugh, and the king fell into step beside the skeleton.

"Will you be driving your brother, too?" he asked gently. Papyrus snorted.

"OH NO. THAT LAZYBONES DECIDED HE WAS GOING TO STAY OVER WITH MUFFET," Papyrus informed him. Papyrus wasn't upset, though. If anything, he was pleased his brother had found happiness with the lovely spider baker. Especially if it meant the night was easier on Asgore. "UNLESS... IS THAT BAD?" he asked, frowning. Had the king wanted to visit with Sans?

"No, no," Asgore assured Papyrus immediately, even as he sighed in inward relief. Of all of those who might have pushed Asgore on Surface Day, Sans was second only to Toriel in judgemental disapproval. Knowing the short skeleton would be away eased his worries. "I merely worried if he would fit in your car."

And Papyrus grinned brightly, his good humor immediately restored. "WHEN UNDYNE MADE SURE MY CAR WAS LARGE ENOUGH, SHE MEANT FOR YOU ALONG WITH THE REST OF US. THERE WILL ALWAYS BE ROOM ENOUGH!" Asgore shrugged and followed Papyrus out to the parking lot without argument.

\-----

"WELCOME TO SCENIC MY HOUSE," Papyrus announced as he opened the door for Asgore, stepping aside to let the king in. Asgore looked around, smiling at the clear mark Papyrus had left on the decorating. "PLEASE, HAVE A SEAT. I CAN GET YOU SOMETHING TO DRINK, IF YOU'D LIKE. WE HAVE EVERYTHING."

Asgore started to ask about the way Papyrus worded the offer, but looking over at the skeleton revealed him heading into a pantry stocked to the brim with bottles of every shape. "Oh. Uh...," he stammered, rubbing one paw against his knee awkwardly. When Papyrus emerged, however, he held a small tin that Asgore recognized immediately. "Tea?"

"I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT REQUEST THAT!" Papyrus crowed in victory. "THAT'S WHY I GOT OUT THE CHRISTMAS GIFT YOU GAVE TO ME LAST YEAR. IT'S DELICIOUS TEA, AND I KNOW YOU ENJOY IT, SO YOU SHOULD BE NICE AND RELAXED." Setting the kettle on, Papyrus prepared a cup for the water, then returned to the living room and hovered in the door. "...ASGORE...?"

The king smiled gently. "Yes, Papyrus?" he asked, noting the way Papyrus kept shifting from one foot to the other as though anxious. Papyrus always made him feel at ease... surely he could do something to make Papyrus feel the same?

"I'D LIKE TO TELL YOU A SECRET. WELL, SHOW YOU A SECRET, I SUPPOSE. BUT I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU'LL LIKE IT." 

The confession stunned Asgore, and he sank back into the couch, his brows furrowed as he cast about for the right words. "Papyrus," he finally began, his voice lower and huskier than he'd intended. "Let me assure you: nothing you can show me will make me think less of you."

Papyrus hesitated, then nodded slowly. "YOU'RE SURE? I... I DON'T WANT TO LOWER YOUR OPINION OF ME."

Asgore felt his soul flutter in his chest, and he rose, padding over to stand before Papyrus solemnly. "Please, Papyrus. I would be honored if you'd share with me."

"I'LL JUST...," Papyrus began, his voice a bit squeaky, then shook himself. "I'LL JUST GO GET IT." As the skeleton darted off to his room, Asgore remained standing. He resisted the urge to pace with a king's determination, but that didn't stop his mind from worrying at what could possibly be troubling his skeletal friend. As he waited, he moved to the kitchen to finish the tea, and as he took his first sip, Papyrus made a soft sound behind him.

Asgore turned... and stared in surprise.

The skeleton hadn't changed much. He still wore the red shirt and black slacks. But in addition to the clothes, he now sported a wig of bright gold hair cut in a pageboy style. He shifted his weight from left to right awkwardly, and Asgore took a step closer, trying to place why the hair looked so familiar.

"...IT TOOK ME QUITE A WHILE TO COLLECT ENOUGH HAIR," Papyrus admitted, his phalanges tapping together in anxious fidgets. "BUT YOUR HAIR IS SO IMPRESSIVE..."

"My... hair...?" Asgore breathed softly. It finally sank in why the hair looked so familiar. He saw it every day. But... "How on earth?"

"YOU COME IN TO GET YOUR HAIR TRIMMED ALL THE TIME," Papyrus admitted shyly. "I'VE KEPT EVERY BIT. IT TOOK A LOT OF HEALING MAGIC TO GET IT TO GROW ENOUGH FOR THE WIG, BUT... I THINK IT TURNED OUT WELL?"

Asgore's brows knit as he tried to figure out what to say. Every moment that passed, a little more of the light died from Papyrus' eyes, and a little more of the happiness died in Asgore's soul. It was such a strange secret to share...

...And yet.

Lifting one paw to cup Papyrus' cheek, Asgore smiled warmly. "It turned out very well, my friend."


End file.
